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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939384">Universe Mixup</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cy_anne/pseuds/Cy_anne'>Cy_anne</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>DC Animated Universe (Timmverse), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Asexual James Rhodes, Burlesque, Crossdressing, Crossover, Dialogue Heavy, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, Italian Barry Allen, Italian Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes &amp; Tony Stark Friendship, Minor description of a panic attack, Multi, Panic Attacks, Swearing, mild panic attack</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 08:54:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,833</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22939384</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cy_anne/pseuds/Cy_anne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The shirt was the thing that started everything. It was the shirt he first arrived in. It was stupid that he’d kept it all these years. Still, there it was, being worn by his godson as the man chatted with a group of his friends. He should’ve gotten rid of it the first chance he had.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Barry Allen &amp; Tony Stark, Established James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers - Relationship, James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, John Constantine &amp; Tony Stark, John Constantine/Tony Stark (Past), Tony Stark &amp; Everyone</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Universe Mixup</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The shirt was the thing that started everything. It was the shirt he first arrived in. It was stupid that he’d kept it all these years. Still, there it was, being worn by his godson as the man chatted with a group of his friends. He should’ve gotten rid of it the first chance he had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ignoring them, Tony focused on the task at hand. The burlesque bar was something that Tony had given his life to, that he’d give his life to again and again. It paid the bills and gave the Leaguers somewhere to go to when missions went bad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look! Not dead!” Barry exclaimed, standing on the other side of the bar where he knew Tony would glance up. “Aren’t you proud?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So proud,” Tony rolled his eyes. “Still grounded though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dammit,” Barry pouted. “Superman, back me up here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nuh uh, listen to your old man. He knows better than all of us,” Clark ruffled Barry’s hair, then cheekily added; “For a civilian.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A civilian who knows the identities of everyone on the League and more than a few well known reporters? You’d chance it Supes?” Tony smirked, going back to his tools.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you have people for that?” Bruce grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like getting dirty on my back,” Tony winked at the man in black, who just smirked in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If being grounded is for children, then why is the Flash grounded?” Diana frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You saying he’s not a child?” Tony asked as he tidied away the clutter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” Barry protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out of my shirt and into something you don’t mind getting dirty. There’s work in the garage. Where the hell did you even get my shirt? Do you even know what I’ve done in that thing,” Tony scoffed</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mamma, gross!” Barry complained, before running out of the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What did you do in that shirt?” Shayera grinned wickedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Broke the laws of physics. Get your head out of the gutter Hawk Woman. That’s my ‘I’m a genius remoulding the universe’ shirt,” Tony said, tone offended with a hint of tease to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Founders of the League sat down for their drinks. What he didn’t know was that they were planning on playing a little game in their off time. Wearing the shirt around for shits and giggles just to see Tony’s reaction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The best reaction so far was from Shayera because Tony knew that she had to cut holes into the back for her wings. He actually collapsed to his knees with a look of horror on his face before laughing so hard he couldn’t get off the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The shirt now had hemmed holes in the back so that Shayera could wear the shirt without fraying it.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>At the moment, the Founders were looking to Batman as they found civilian clothes to change into to get to the bar. One of its rules. Though, they are allowed on masks and or cowls to hide their identities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Batman stated. “I won’t wear it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wear what?” one of the men whom they rescued from Felix Faust’s lab asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s a tradition that when we go to the Dénouement one of us has to be wearing this shirt,” the Flash said, lifting up the shirt for the others to see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s so important about a Stark Expo shirt?” another one of the rescued frowned. “And why just the one?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because it belongs to the owner of the place, and it’s a contest to see who can get the best reaction from him,” Green Lantern grinned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bats is the only one who hasn’t worn it yet,” the Flash said as he put the shirt on, then slapped the hand of GL who tried to take the shirt back. “Mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The people the League found in Faust’s lab claim to be a team of superheroes but they’re unlike anyone the League has seen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The zeta tube led to the garage downstairs where the other team could see an assortment of bikes, cars, weaponry, and mechanical objects just scattered about the place. Heading upstairs, the two teams could hear music playing and someone singing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“—the blues in the night,” a low melodic voice croons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well shit,” the Green Lantern says when he hears the voice. “That Carbonell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup,” the Flash grinned as he sped off into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FOR FUCK’S SAKE! FLASH, I HAVE A HEART CONDITION! DO NOT DO THAT SHIT!” the voice shrieked, the music and singing cut off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, at least he gave you a heads up,” Wonder Woman smirked as she entered the room. “What if it had been Br—Batman.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is the whole league here or something?” the brunet asked as he held onto the Flash’s shoulder with one hand and the other over his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s Constantine?” Batman countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why the fuck should I know? I’m not his boyfriend,” Carbonell rolls his eyes as he straightens himself out and looks at the Flash. “I swear, you’ve all stretched it out. It doesn’t even fit me anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ve got people here claiming they’re Earth’s mightiest heroes or something. Faust was playing with dimensional rifts. Got any ideas?” Shayera asked Carbonell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plenty. Top of the list, different universe. Which the Flash should know all about,” Carbonell said as he tugs at the shirt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Flash uses his powers to change out of his shirt and into a different one and handing the shirt out for Carbonell to take. Putting it on over his long sleeve, Carbonell still hasn’t looked up at the other superheroes and heads to the bar to grab drink glasses for everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Leaguers call out for their usual and gesture to the other team to do the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Drinking on the job?” Captain America asked the other heroes, judgment clear in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not all of us,” Superman smiled politely as Batman gets his bottle of coconut water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The hell is Asgardian mead? No, wait. You know what. John got me something… ah, where is it. Nectar…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, other universes, Tony?” Superman asks a little too eagerly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could go into so much science babble about it, but for now? Yes, there are other universes where things are different. They lie outside of our set of time and space. How do I explain it? Oh! When Superman or the Flash go so fast that they phase through objects it’s because they’re in line with the vibrational frequency of the molecules—” Tony starts rambling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And the different universes vibrate on different frequencies so while they might be in the same place and time, they don’t interact with each other,” the small brunet man from the other team finished off, having gotten excited. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Diana, I’m breaking off our engagement. Marry me,” Tony said, staring at the man who blushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Diana’s jaw dropped while the other Leaguers laughed. Wrapping his arms around Tony’s waist from behind him, the Flash muffles his laugh in Tony’s shoulder while Tony protests as to why they shouldn’t be laughing at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other team realises this is a joke, but they’re beginning to understand that Tony’s probably never met someone who could keep up with him, and it’s been a long while since Bruce has as well.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Tony shows the Avengers to the rooms upstairs that the League are going to pay for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They find out that Tony owns the whole building and is basically the go to guy for room and board, weapons and vehicle fixes, antidotes for chemicals and magic, and is the middle man for other superheroes. He does a little bit of everything and can make a living off it. There are too many superheroes and vigilantes for this world and yet, somehow, Tony’s on top of everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t lose your keys, I do not have replacements,” Tony reminded them. “The entire floor is yours. Anything you don’t like, give me a call on the landline, just press zero. You’ll have to order out cause no one cooks. All rooms are en suite with a tv. And you’re free to drink at the bar. All expenses being paid to your room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Cap said uncertainly as he held his key gingerly. “You didn’t have to do this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, I didn’t,” Tony agreed. “But you’re heroes, doesn’t matter which world. Plus, you’re in trouble, so I want to help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cap has trouble accepting help,” the Black Widow told Tony before the Captain could open his mouth again. “Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No problem. You can come down to the bar to tell the idiots to shut up if they get too loud. The rooms are mostly soundproof so if you do hear them, I need to know,” Tony told them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We allowed to leave?” Hawkeye asked curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, don’t know where you’d go with no cash though. Oh, there should be a computer in one of these rooms so if you need clothes you should online shop or something. It’ll go to your tab,” Tony said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are most generous indeed, Inn Keeper,” Thor’s voice boomed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just call me Tony, big guy. Everyone does,” Tony smiled. “I gotta head back downstairs. You kids good here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kids?” the Winter Soldier scoffs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t let this face fool you, been stuck with it for twenty years,” Tony gave a wry smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Been stuck with this one for seventy,” the Winter soldier retorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn,” Tony barks a laugh, before composing himself. “Sorry, just… everyone else in the League is a lot younger than me… ‘cept J’onn but he’s an alien, he gets a pass. Look, uh, I gotta go. Again. Just. You know. Give me a shout if you need anything. Bye!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony left after that and the Avengers got together to talk about their previous battle and how they ended up on a different Earth. They didn’t know what to make of the other heroes but they knew they couldn’t be too wary of people who were helping them in their time of need.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And somehow, Tony was going to recreate Faust’s magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Making sure the bar was in top shape, Tony opened the doors for anyone to enter. He had civilian customers as well. There were waitstaff, bartenders, and entertainment, Tony could just sit back and relax.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you notice anything about them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or not.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Heart condition,” Tony gritted out as he sat down in his office seat. “And yes, several things. The soldiers are together. The spies are together. Biggest, Blondest, is not familiar with modern Earth culture. And the scientist doesn’t trust anyone with himself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Batman was in the corner of the room, looking over the newest books Tony collected.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing else?” Batman asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing important,” Tony rolled his eyes. “Barr ask you to do this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Batman stated. “I volunteered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Great. I’m not as fragile as everyone else, you know,” Tony huffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No… But we don’t call you Mamma Allen for nothing,” Batman smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jokes on you, I like being called Mamma,” Tony scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know what to do when something happens that you can’t handle,” Batman reminded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony sighed and waved Batman off. He wasn’t stupid, though he acted like it sometimes. He didn’t need constant protection either. After everything he’d been through, he could get through this. If his hands would just stop shaking.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Cap and the Soldier were staring at Tony who was behind the bar with a couple of twenty-somethings, a dark skinned man and a woman who had some sort of Asian heritage as far as the two could tell. Tony was obviously having fun as the three of them danced behind the bar, mouthing along to what was being played up on stage. It was a regular thing or something because no one minded it. But Tony wasn’t singing, even though he had such an amazing voice, smooth and soulful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re staring,” Natasha commented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shut it, Talia,” James snarled at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I do not think the Justice League will be happy if you try to seduce him,” Natasha stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re not trying to do anything,” Steve rolled his eyes. “He’s just… easy on the eyes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is,” Natasha nodded, agreeing with ease. “And he’s off limits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James grumbled something under his breath but agreed nonetheless. A young Caucasian man with dirty blonde hair and green eyes approached the bar and Tony’s smile immediately went to a frown. He gestured to the upstairs viewing where his office was. The frown cut Steve in ways he knew it shouldn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He looks so familiar,” Steve protested, not knowing why Tony looked so familiar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How so?” Nat frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know, it’s just… there’s something about him,” Steve trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something from before,” Bucky agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Nat said, genuinely sounding surprised. “During the war?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. I know that sounds strange,” Steve frowned at the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was something really familiar about Tony and he just didn’t understand it. It wasn’t like Tony could just come over and spend all of his time with the Avengers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the bar’s office, Tony lay down the blueprints for what was supposed to take the Avengers back to their Earth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have no idea if it works,” Tony admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why… why do you have this?” Barry asked, fear the dominating tone in his voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doesn’t matter. I’m staying right here,” Tony assured Barry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m staying right here, with you,” Tony reiterated. “Leaving you is the last thing on my mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Barry said in a small voice as he looked over the schematics. “And you think the League’s techies can handle this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s mechanical, they’ll be fine,” Tony waved it off and let Barry gather up the papers. “I want them gone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did they do something?” Barry instantly perked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just… just daddy issues, okay?” Tony said, his voice wavering slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was his goddamn issues being triggered by innocent people. Wasn’t fair to them. Tony was amused by how Barry’s posture slumped and showed his disappointment. Boy was ready to fight off the world for him and he didn’t deserve it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bambino,” Tony sighed, pulling Barry into his arms. “Non ti preoccupare. Andrà tutto bene.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mamma, ho il diritto di essere preoccupata. Quelle persone ti spaventano, e non avrei dovuto portarle qui,” Barry argued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, bambino. Va tutto bene. Non è colpa vostra. Andrà tutto bene,” Tony soothed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barry went slack in Tony’s arms but Tony knew Barry would still be worried. He would always worry over everything and it wasn’t his fault.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The morning came all too soon. There was shattered glass on the floor, spilled drinks that had dried sticky, and bits of food. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony’s singing was a gift that had Bucky stuck in the doorway that led from the top floor of the bar to the rooms upstairs. He watched Tony up on the stage, where his voice was projecting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a teenage boy with bright red hair, sweeping up the main floor, who was looking at the man in awe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Put your money in my hand. If you want a little extra. Well, you know where I am,” Tony sang enticingly, his hips swaying a little as he strutted on the stage to sweep the glass off. “Something very dark, is playin' with your mind. It's not the end of days. It’s just a bump and ride.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky looked behind him, when he felt a presence, to see Steve standing behind him and staring at Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, they were in trouble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the end of the song, the young man clapped and got snapped at for not cleaning the place up. But the look on Tony’s face meant that he wasn’t being particularly mean about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heading downstairs, the two super soldiers were surprised by the speedster teenager who demanded to know who they were and what they were doing here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stand down, Wally. They have the Founders’ permission to be here,” Tony said calmly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, my bad. It’s just that I know every hero, more or less, and I’ve never seen you two,” Wally said, backing off and going back to cleaning the place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trying to teach him some patience,” Tony told the soldiers when they looked at him when Wally didn’t use his powers to clean up. “His parents don’t want him using his powers for everything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you’re a mentor as well,” Steve smiled kindly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sort of. Told you, been around longer than most of the League, seen a thing or two that would blow your mind,” Tony shrugged and handed them take out menus. “Some of the best places to eat. And if you want something international, I can get Wally to use a zeta.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was humming as he did an inventory check on his liquor. The glances Steve and Bucky kept sneaking Tony’s way didn’t go unnoticed by the red-head in the room who was glowering at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other Avengers came down as well, taking a booth that had been cleaned up. Wally rushed them their menus as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sir, Mrs West-Allen is at the door with the children,” a tinny voice from behind the counter informed Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buzz em in, J,” Tony ordered as he finished writing down Steve and Bucky’s order.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wally immediately dashed off to the front door and came back with a child in his arms and another trailing behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonno! Nonno!” the girl shrieked, running for the man who’d stepped out from behind the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi, DJ,” Tony grinned as he picked her up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nonno, Mamma says we’re gonna Zoo!” DJ exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you?!” Tony gasped. “That sounds like fun! Doesn’t that sound like fun, Donald?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy in Wally’s arms hid his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Still shy, huh?” Tony asked the girl who nodded with a bright grin on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kind of like his father,” a woman said as she descended the stairs to greet Tony. “Morning, Mamma.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning, Iris,” Tony gave her a peck on the cheek before handing DJ over. “I’ve just got to—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony coughed as Donald was thrusted into his arms and Wally raced off. Coming back with a jacket and listing what he’d done, Wally was beaming.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… You guys good here?” Tony looked to the Avengers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have fun with your family,” Clint waved him off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes! No work!” Wally cheered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, Bimbo. You’re going down to the garage and making sure everything’s in place for the Green Arrow and Batman’s shipments,” Tony told him as he handed over the keys. “Don’t break anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wally groaned in frustration. This was definitely not what he wanted.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The toddlers were worn out by lunch and were brought back to the bar where they slept in Tony’s room. Iris said that she had to get back to work to cover someone’s shift. Wally was prepping the bar for tonight, even though Barry promised to pick him up for a one on one training session. Wally wasn’t going to hold him to that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The blonde man that swept into the bar locked onto Tony and headed over to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, the rumour’s true then?” the man said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you want, John?” Tony asked tersely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing but the pleasure of your company, Love,” John smiled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well, in that case. Get out,” Tony said, even as he poured a double whiskey for John.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I really do need your company,” John said, downing his glass. “You’re the best person I know to charm demons.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You need me for the gem,” Tony countered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That too,” John agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s in it for me?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The perfect element to power your special battery,” John said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh you son of a bitch,” Tony narrowed his eyes at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You in?” John asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously,” Tony scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good, usual place, see you at nine,” John told him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! Where’s my drink?” Tony snapped when John turned to leave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Brit smirked and pulled out a bottle from his trench coat and set it on the bar. Tony immediately snatched it up and admired the label.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>John always delivered on rare and wonderful alcohols when he dropped by. Tony was sure that John had some sort of store just waiting for him to pick one and deliver it to the bartender.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony barely even noticed when the trenchcoat was out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that about?” Bucky asked, his tone a tad possessive and made Tony look up from the bottle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh? Oh, that’s John Constantine. Demonologist and a lower master of the Dark Arts. He pays his debts in high quality booze I don’t want to know where he got,” Tony explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This world has magic?” Thor asked curiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As much as I hate to say it, yes,” Tony nodded, setting the bottle in a fridge under the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was the deal you just made?” Natasha asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The bridge between our Earths will take a lot of energy we just don’t have. I may have a solution to it but the element require to complete the battery doesn’t exist… exactly,” Tony admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A non-natural element? What are you building?” Banner frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I call it an Arc reactor, it’s supposed to be self-sustaining green energy. It would fit in the palm of your hand and it could power New York for a week,” Tony said, grinning at the scientist whose jaw dropped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony talked about what he’d designed until JARVIS told him that the twins were awake. Barry came in a little after Tony had to leave and left with Wally, but not before dropping in on his kids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something was bothering Bruce about the Arc reactor and said he had to go to his room to rest.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Superman stopped by to give a progress report on the machine for the Avengers who were glad to know that they would be going home soon. The rest of the League trickled in as the bar filled. All of them except for the Flash. Which was probably a good thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Avengers and the Founders had taken up residence at a booth that had a clear view of the bar and the staircase leading to the upstairs landing. It also gave them a clear view of Tony’s office, and the person who stepped out of it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clark choked on his drink, apologising for the liquid that he spat out onto Natasha. The assassin was snarling but the gasp that left Diana’s mouth made her stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of the heroes looked to the person who was walking down the spiral stairs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The white shirt was unbuttoned and opened wide enough to reveal the palm sized bright neon blue gem sat in the middle of the man’s sternum. For it was a man, which is probably what shocked the heroes the most because the man was most certainly wearing a deep red lace underbust corset over the white shirt. The dark red pants were made of a see through mesh that billowed with every step taken but the ends were tucked under the corset and into the boots. And the boots! There was no hiding the fact that the lace-up black leather shoes were 6 inch heels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s wearing makeup,” Shayera breathed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh fuck,” Natasha murmured, dazed as she watched the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even at a distance the makeup looked natural but dramatic. The maroon lipstick exaggerated the man’s pout. The glittery highlighter drew attention to his chiselled features. The thick, dark, long lashes bringing out the lightness of the brown, whiskey irises. Red and gold should not look so good together as eyeshadow as it does on the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stevie,” Bucky mumbled, grabbing his boyfriend’s thigh and squeezing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, Buck,” Steve hissed, pulling the hand off and intertwining their fingers together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaning up on the countertop of the bar, the man’s laughing as he orders his drink and runs a hand through his artfully tossed hair that looks like he just got out of bed doing some... things. There’s a sway in his hips as he walks to a lone table with his bottle of water that has a straw in it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s eight fifty,” Natasha said, breaking the silence at their table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Thor said with a slight frown.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What has the time got to do with anything?” Diana asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“John Constantine’s picking him up at nine for a… thing,” Steve put it inelegantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit,” Bruce muttered and got up from the booth to head over to Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Constantine’s not supposed to be bringing Tony anywhere,” Clark narrowed his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The last time Constantine recruited Tony, the two of them nearly died and the Flash had these volatile mood swings for a month,” John explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, that does not look good,” Clint said, looking at Tony and Bruce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were obviously angry with one another and certainly drawing attention to themselves. When Tony turned around to leave, Bruce grabbed his wrist and what happened next was a blur.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All anyone knew was that Bruce had been ready to drag Tony upstairs and then Bruce was on the floor with Tony digging his knee into the small of his back and twisting Bruce’s arms into an uncomfortable position.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony obviously said something before letting Bruce go then heading out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s terrifying,” John whispered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t think anyone could turn the tables on Bruce,” Clark agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is so pissed,” Clint said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Which one?” Nat asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Both of them,” Clint stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bruce’s pride didn’t look hurt but he certainly looked mad and he didn’t come back to the table.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>It was before dawn when Tony got back to his bar, his shoes in his hand and someone’s hat on his head. His clothes were torn, and there were bandages around his middle, keeping him from bleeding out. His corset, which was absolutely destroyed, was in the tote bag he’d put his winnings into.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve and Bucky had waited up for the man, wanting to know that he was all right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, Tony,” Steve called softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Never again,” Tony said, dumping his shoes on the bar counter. “JARVIS, the next time John comes in here, remind me not to listen to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes sir,” the AI demurred.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fucking bastard,” Tony muttered bitterly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I take it things didn’t go so well,” Steve said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, everything mission related went great. It was everything after,” Tony huffed, his free hand fluttering over his wound. “It never works between us, but he always makes things so damn complicated!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What he do, Doll?” Bucky drawled out, trying to act casual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Asked me to marry him,” Tony sighed as he finally managed to stumble behind the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Steve exclaimed in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No ring,” Tony said, showing his hands before turning his back on them to find a soda. “Said no. It just… just wasn’t right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re upset your boyfriend asked you to marry him?” Bucky scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s not my boyfriend. The last time he was… John pushes everyone he loves away, but sometimes he’s just so damn selfish. I can’t be in a relationship with someone who’s going to push me away when they need help. My shitty childhood screwed me over as it is, I don’t need fuel to that fire,” Tony said, his knees buckling under him and he sat on the floor. “Shit… I still love him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Setting aside the unopened soda, Tony was trying hard not to cry. If he still had a heart beat it would probably be going a mile a minute. Panic attack?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A warm body sat down next to Tony and gathered him up in their arms. He couldn’t take it anymore. The tears flowed from his eyes, and his mascara was definitely running, his breathing was uneven, hitching, and too fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Definitely a panic attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Someone was rubbing circles into his back and it was kind of soothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You back with us, Doll?” Bucky murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, I’m so sorry,” Tony sniffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey, nothing to be sorry about. What you’re feeling… you’re allowed to cry about that,” Steve assured him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Think you can get to bed by yourself?” Bucky asked softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I lost three pints of blood,” Tony deadpanned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god, why didn’t you say anything,” Steve panicked, scooping Tony up into his arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the Fuck?! Excuse you! I lost three pints of blood and I still walked all the way here! I can get to my room. Put me down! Cap, put me down! Brooklyn! Get your boyfriend to put me down!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky balked at hearing Tony call him Brooklyn and Steve his boyfriend. Both were true, but how the hell did Tony know? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony noticed and narrowed his eyes at Bucky, tutting and muttering about all Brooklynites being gay and stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, and what’re you?” Bucky snapped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Manhattan,” Tony said proudly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I will drop you,” Steve said seriously. “I swear to god.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Born and raised… But then I moved to Central City and I never left,” Tony admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where the hell is Central City?” Bucky frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Edge of Missouri and Kansas. Lived here longer than I did Manhattan,” Tony said sadly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You miss it? New York?” Steve asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I miss what isn’t there anymore,” Tony mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what you mean,” Steve murmured.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The apartment took up the entirety of the top floor, and it looked like it had been made with about half a dozen people living here full time in mind. The majority of the floor was an open floor plan, with the back wall dedicated to a kitchen and dining space and the middle of the room was just a large seating area with mattresses on the floor between the enclosed couch area, complete with pillows and blankets. The sitting area was facing a wall of windows which gave a gorgeous view of the city, and to the balcony outside that looked ready for someone to camp out there. There was a door that probably led to the bathroom while the walls adjacent to the kitchen’s was just full of alcoves, drawers, cabinets, even a large set of double doors that one would assume was for clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony woke to see Barry staring at him with a sad smile from the sofas. In his arm was an IV that was feeding him blood and saline/nutrient solution. The super soldiers were still sleeping on either side of Tony and he blushed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d changed his bandages and hadn’t given him a new shirt and he remembered Steve being embarrassed about the manties Tony had been wearing under the mesh pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Careful not to wake the soldier, Tony removed the empty drips and crawled over to Barry to pull the man into his lap and pressed a kiss to the side of his forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s food in the kitchen,” Barry whispered. “Enough for a dozen of those two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” Tony mused, looking back at the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The proteges are coming over. We told them that they need to practice their diplomatic skills so they’ll be taking over care of the club,” Barry added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wally’ll see right through that,” Tony murmured.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he will,” Barry agreed, snuggling further into Tony’s cold body. “I don’t like that they took you to bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They didn’t do anything,” Tony frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Barry sighed before pulling away. “Come on, breakfast.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony held back a snort of laughter as the two of them climbed over the back of the couch to eat their fill. Somehow, the breakfast conversation turned to Tony’s parents’ treatment of him. Honestly it had just started with Barry talking about an abuse case and Tony still hadn’t completely turned his mind to see reason about his upbringing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure your parents are dead,” Barry asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Barry, you wouldn’t kill them even if you wanted to,” Tony scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I have no qualms letting a trained assassin do it,” Barry said, pointing at something behind Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That something being Bucky who was looking furious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How could anyone treat their kid like that?” Bucky snarled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People suffering from PTSD and Post-Partum Depression. No one got out of World War Two unscathed,” Tony said harshly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That didn’t give them the right to treat you so badly! You were practically raised by your godmother and the help,” Barry protested. “No one should be raised by someone who isn’t family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony flinched at that and Barry realised what he’d said, beginning to apologise for it but Tony just headed for the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that?” Steve asked from his spot on the mattress where he’d watched Tony storm off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony’s my foster father,” Barry mumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The super soldiers winced. Yeah. That probably would’ve set off any parent who’d just been told by their kid that they didn’t count.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Halfway through eating the cold meal that was leaning into more of a brunch than a breakfast when Tony came out in a fresh set of clothes, the smudged makeup from last night gone, and him pointing an accusatory finger at Barry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t give a damn if you hated me raising you. But you will not belittle the people who raised me because they were family to me,” Tony snapped at Barry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Mamma,” Barry said meekly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be down in the shop. Don’t disturb me for at least an hour,” Tony huffed, before slamming the door on the way out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barry looked so guilty, but what worried the soldiers the most was that Tony didn’t care. He didn’t care if Barry thought less of him. How could he possibly be okay with that?</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The new arc reactor was being tested for its efficiency while Tony worked on the vehicles that needed to be picked up. The proteges were having a hard time being congenial to the superheroes who were purposefully making things harder for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That was probably why the Avengers were downstairs, helping Tony with the gear and such. Weapons that needed cleaning or minor repairs, the majority of the Avengers could do. Bruce was working on something to counteract one of the supervillain’s traditional M.O..</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want one,” Bucky said, staring at the bike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I could make you one,” Tony said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“STEVE!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you make all of these?” Clint asked Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not all of them, the heroes make or buy some initially and then come to me for a tune up,” Tony shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I want him,” Clint told Nat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” both super soldiers growled out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony tried not to let it show how badly that hurt him. It mostly worked, if Nat hadn’t been eyeing him something vicious the entire down the Avengers were down here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since the Brooklyn Twins had mentioned that Tony looked familiar, Nat couldn’t help but see something familiar about Tony as well. She just couldn’t pin it down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>JARVIS gave an update that Tony’s schematics were built and theoretically sound, the League just needed a reliable power source.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, looks like you’ll be going home soon,” Tony said, as he sent a message to the Founders that the Avengers would be gone in a day or two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shame. Kinda liked hanging out here,” Clint said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was… relaxing,” Bruce admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like you guys needed a vacation,” Tony chuckled, then saw the looks. “I know, I know. No rest for the wicked and all that. Doesn’t mean you can’t go on vacation every now and again. Surely there are more heroes on your Earth who could help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that what the League does? Look after places for other people?” Thor asked, intrigued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. The League’s got a rotation going on who to send where for what. That includes diplomacy, public relations, criminal activity, both on Earth and on other planets,” Tony said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Other planets?” Steve frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, other planets. The Green Lantern Corps are basically intergalactic police. Superman’s an alien that was raised on Earth. J’onn came to Earth ‘cause of a war on Mars. I mean, this Earth’s got some mileage on intergalactic politics,” Tony admitted. “And those are just the aliens off the top of my head.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Avengers looked to one another to try and gauge the others’ reactions to this piece of information. Would it really be useful to set up the Avengers like the League had set up their superhero team?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wally came downstairs, asking for Tony because one of his teammates had done something very wrong. A little after the man had excused himself, JARVIS announced that the Arc reactor was ready to be applied to any kind of machinery and that the Flash would pick them up.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The machine made the Avengers gape at it. It looked almost exactly the same as the machine that had brought them to this universe. They weren’t going to mention it to the League though, not when they were so close to getting home. What was even more surprising was the fact that the portal opened right where the Avengers had last been on their Earth, with Agent Carter and a man in military uniform on the other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was a relief to feel missed. The Avengers went through the portal one by one, so that there were no accidents via system overload. They were lucky that they got through the people they did before the portal started sparking on the other end.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh we’re so screwed,” Flash groaned when the gateway exploded, taking Batman and Superman out with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Peggy?!” Steve exclaimed, seeing the woman.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Agent Carter and Colonel Rhodes were not happy with their predicament and the League had to apologise. They didn’t know what went wrong with the machine. Although, if anyone were to hazard a guess, Batman and Superman were probably on the Avengers’ Earth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Flash was left to deal with the super soldiers and their new guests. It’d been a long night and, for some reason, Tony wasn’t at the club. It didn’t mean the Flash didn’t know how to handle things. Once the League could locate Tony, they’d start on something to send everyone home and get their own people back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The super soldiers brought Peggy and James down for breakfast where one of the bartenders was already working.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr Carbonell’ll be back soon. He was on a diplomatic trip,” the kid, Lucas was his name, said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sounds like this Carbonell is quite the character, isn’t he?” Peggy remarked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr Carbonell’s the reason the League worked out so well in the beginning. I hear the Founders all call him Mamma. Not even the villains are willing to risk pissing him off,” Lucas gossiped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peggy didn’t look too impressed by this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sound of someone coming up from the basement had everyone’s heads turning and the spit take Steve did was spectacular. Tony looked shocked as Bucky thumped Steve’s back to get his boyfriend to cough up the rest of the orange juice he’d inhaled by accident.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was wearing… well the only real item of clothing he was wearing was the short red sarong that sat low on his waist and ended at his midthigh. The only thing that made him appear modest were the decadent jewels that lay across his golden skin. The off-white pearl shoulder necklace lay across his chest and turned into a high choker with the ends draped his upper arms and framed the gem in his chest beautifully. The gold chain around his waist were hooked into a belly ring which held a starburst shaped gem, the same colour as the gem in his chest. His hands had gold rings with gold and pearl chains wrapping up his arm, not quite reaching the ropes of pearls of the shoulder piece. Tony’s feet had barefoot sandals of gold chains and rubies, the right one crawling further up his leg and under the sarong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you have a good night, Mr Carbonell?” Peggy snapped out of it first.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was brunch with the Queens of Atlantis and Themyscira. I dressed to fit their customs,” Tony said politely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sure man? Cause it looks like you’re just showing off,” James smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There may have been a suitor or two vying for my attention. I will never say no to jewellery,” Tony stated. “I’m sorry, you’ve caught me off guard. None of the League told me something happened with the portal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The one on our end blew up and we think we’ve swapped places with two of yours. The other Avengers are back home,” James explained.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Portal on your end?” Tony asked, a strained smile on his face as he turned his gaze to the super soldiers. “No one mentioned a portal on your end.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… we didn’t think it was important?” Bucky said, more as a question than a statement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not important? Oh,” Tony said airily, the false smile still on his face. “You didn’t think it was important.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We see that it is now,” Bucky stated, a little terrified by the new attitude of Tony’s.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you!” Tony shouted, the anger clear on his face now, when he turned to Peggy and James he had a calm smile and a gentle voice. “Please, don’t hesitate to ask me or my staff anything you wish. But for now I must retire to my room, it’s been a long day.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James raised a glass to Tony’s receding figure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The colonel smirked at the soldiers, saying that if he weren’t asexual he’d tap that ass since they so obviously messed up, then got up and left for his room. Peggy gave the soldiers dead-eyed looks before leaving without another word.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Barry had no idea that he was going to find Peggy and James in his Mamma’s apartment. He certainly didn’t expect them to be reminiscing about things he’d never heard Tony talk about on the balcony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Care-Barr!” Tony called out, spotting him. “Come meet the family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Family?” Barry frowned, heading over to him and setting down the lunch he’d brought. “Didn’t realise strangers could be family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bitter’s not a good look on you, Bambino. This is my Aunt Peggy and Rhodey,” Tony introduced smugly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Holy shit,” Barry cursed, his eyes widening. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be disrespectful! Mamma’s told me so much about you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mamma, huh?” Rhodey grinned at his old friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I ain’t gonna apologise for being me,” Tony scoffed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have a seat dear. We want to know all about Tony since he disappeared from our Earth,” Peggy patted a seat next to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barry sat down and actually had a good time talking with the people who knew much more than he did about Tony. It definitely opened up his eyes to why Tony was so stressed around the Avengers. Apparently JARVIS was already running programmes and algorithms to connect this Earth and the Avengers’ so that they could figure out how to create a stable portal between the worlds. It was also nice to know that Barry wasn’t the only one who saw how the Brooklyn idiots were staring at Tony, even though the man denied it vehemently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dinner at your place then?” Barry asked Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh my god. Yes! Aunt Peggy. I’m a grandfather,” Tony said excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I must see them at once,” Peggy exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll call the wife,” Barry nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, tonight’s a burlesque night,” Tony cursed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh no, you aren’t skipping that. Tony Fucking Stark, a burlesque dancer? I have got to see that,” Rhodey smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m glad you could embrace your… more artistic side, my love,” Peggy smiled brightly at Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, you’d understand if I stayed here instead of going back with you?” Tony asked a little hesitantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rhodey and Peggy looked to each other, then glared at Tony as if it weren’t the most obvious thing in the world that they would support him in whatever he was doing. Tony just smiled, a wavering smile and perhaps a touch watery, but a smile nonetheless as he asked if the two of them would like to help him set up. Rhodey and Peggy just smiled even brighter in response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m so happy you’re happy, Anthony,” Peggy kissed Tony’s forehead as she got up and left.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where’s she going?” Tony frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To distract Rogers and Barnes while we set up,” Rhodey smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This was a bad idea,” Tony sighed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is brilliant and I’m inviting all the proteges as well because seeing the League express themselves through dance is a fucking treat,” Barry announced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yup, Tony thought, a really bad idea.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Steve and Bucky didn’t understand why Peggy and Rhodey demanded that they be on either ends of the booth when they sat down for dinner. They also didn’t know why tonight was so packed or what the excitement was all about. The curtain was raised, the music started playing, and now Steve and Bucky were fidgeting in their seats as they watched the show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If they thought that Tony’s outfit to have lunch with queens was erotic, they were pretty sure they’d died and gone to heaven to see Tony move so sinfully. They were pretty sure Tony was just wearing beaded lingerie. The soldiers couldn’t take their eyes off Tony, not even for the other dancers on stage or on their very own table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were a few dancers spread out to other parts of the room but nothing could compare to how Tony commanded the stage. The cheers and applause were deafening as the heroes took a bow then left for the next act.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony has a secret passage from the stage to the office,” Peggy told the still gawking soldiers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should probably take the key and not break down the door if you want privacy,” Rhodey held up the key.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve was speechless, mouth opening and closing like a fish, and Bucky had to take the key and pulled Steve from his seat to drag him upstairs. Tony was confused to see them when they entered his domain as he was changing, and even more confused when the soldiers locked the door that was already supposed to be locked behind them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were gorgeous up there, Tony,” Steve said, stalking towards the man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Doll, you were absolutely sinful on stage,” Bucky leered at Tony who seemed to catch on to what they wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I won’t be a one night stand,” Tony said firmly, moving so that his desk was between him and the soldiers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who said anything about a one night stand?” Bucky smirked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’ll take me less than a day to get the portal back to your Earth working again,” Tony glared, freezing the soldiers in their tracks. “Are you really going to tell me you’d rather stay with me on this Earth when 24 hours ago you left without even saying goodbye?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sweetheart, we didn’t mean to—” Steve began.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You didn’t mean what? Steven? To forget about your manners and not even thank your host for putting you up?!” Tony snarled. “You already have a boyfriend, go fuck him in the room I gave you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Baby Doll, we swear. This isn’t just a one time thing. We want to make this work,” Bucky protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How the FUCK am I supposed to believe that?!” Tony shouted, blinking back the tears in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony,” Steve breathed out like he was punched in the gut. “We swear, we won’t just fuck and leave.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We won’t be like John,” Bucky stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare use John against me like this,” Tony growled. “I love him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And we care enough to not leave you when things get bad. You can come with us,” Bucky carried on like Tony hadn’t said anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come with you? Leave my family behind? Everything I’ve built for the past 30 years?” Tony asked, appalled at the thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not forever. Sweetheart, we’d figure something out,” Steve promised. “Can’t you at least give us a chance?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why? You two are perfect for each other,” Tony mumbled, going behind the screen in the corner of his office to change. “I don’t want to be a second choice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re not a second choice,” Bucky snapped. “Doll, do you really think you’d just be a third wheel in all a this? We want you. Both of us want you, not just for a good night, but for something more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You hardly know me,” Tony protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And we’ve fallen hard in a matter of days. Sweetheart, how many times have we got to tell you that we want this to last, all three of us, for you to get it?” Steve pressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“… For the rest of my life?” Tony said hesitantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Would you give us that? The rest of your life to tell you that we want you and we care about you and it’s not about a good lay,” Steve stressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony didn’t say anything but the soldiers thought they heard something behind the screen so they knew he was still there. Gingerly, the two Brooklyn men approached the screen, asking if Tony was okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You made me ruin my makeup,” Tony wailed, and broke out into loud sobs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh Doll,” Bucky exclaimed and got held back by Steve.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we come round to give you a hug?” Steve asked, ignoring Bucky’s glare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Y-Yes,” Tony cried.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two went around the screen and knelt on the ground where Tony was curled up and gently manoeuvred the three of them so that Tony was spread across the soldiers’ laps while being held by both of them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Closing his part of the show in a new outfit and a different makeup colour scheme, Tony then went upstairs where his family were waiting for him. The man let his grandchildren sprawl across him as they babbled about the day they had and how amazing he was on stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony had designed his apartment specifically because he knew how hard it was for people to go after unwinding at the end of the night. Which is why everyone fell asleep in the large lounging space. No one even questioned the fact that Tony’s kids had fallen asleep curled up around him and left no room for anyone else. It was just too cute. Barry had his head on Tony’s chest with his arm draped over his twins. There were definitely pictures circulating in the morning of the scene.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. Coffee,” Tony shoved everyone out of the way of the coffee maker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You love coffee more than you love me,” Barry pouted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not true,” Iris argued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It is. It’s the only thing he loves more than me, but still,” Barry shrugged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirs, you have a message from the League,” JARVIS informed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony actually hissed as he clutched his coffee mug tighter to his chest. Rhodey couldn’t hold back his snort of laughter, remembering how Tony would do the exact same thing at MIT when he was reminded of deadlines before his first cup of coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Barry brought up the message and sent a reply saying that the six of them would be at the Watch Tower in just over an hour. Checking the time, J’onn said that they were early when the speedster and the other Earthers arrived at the tower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re in space?” Bucky asked breathlessly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Need coffee,” Tony left in search of his nectar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We ran out of coffee at the club so Tony bugged us to get here faster,” Barry explained to his friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, that makes sense,” J’onn nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peggy didn’t want to see what the Earth looked like from space and let Barry lead her to the meeting room while the rest of the men watched what was going on around them in awe. By the time the rest of the League had come, Tony had perked up and was fixing the connection to the other side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, we are live!” Tony dramatically threw his hands up in triumph, then saw the actual video feed. “Wait, what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bats is wearing the Stark Expo shirt!” Barry shouted in his excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not the same shirt,” Diana pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, it’s not,” Bruce confirmed. “I found it in a box in this mansion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s not all we found,” Clark added, holding up a newspaper clipping about a disappearance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuuuuuuuck,” Tony strung out empathically as he sunk into his chair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony?” Shayera looked his way, just like the rest of the League and their guests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony, what the hell?” Steve frowned at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tony is from their Earth,” Bruce stated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I only found out yesterday,” Barry said when all League eyes were on him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And you didn’t tell us?” John hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t see the point. He’s not going back to that Earth, and he’s spent more time here than he has there,” Barry protested. “If he wanted to do something about it, he would’ve done so by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who else knew?” Diana asked cautiously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Barry’s parents and John Constantine,” Tony stated, still looking at the newspaper clipping. “The Allens were the first people to find me and John was who I went to when I tried to go back. We couldn’t do it. Eventually I just… I gave up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Avengers over here were freaking out. They still are,” Clark said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need air,” Tony muttered, pushing himself away from the table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony waved off everyone who wanted to help him. They still had to get everything sorted out and put people back where they belonged.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The fight between Captain America and Agent Peggy Carter would’ve been something to go down in history, considering everyone on the Avengers’ Earth thought that they had a thing together. Steve couldn’t believe that Peggy would keep from him the fact that Tony Carbonell was in fact Tony Stark from their Earth. Bucky had to video it so that he could prove to the others that it happened. Also, he needed something to distract himself from the fact that he’d murdered Tony’s parents and leading Tony into his spiral that led to his creation of the Gateway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony was in the Watch Tower’s garden, curled up under the oak tree and fighting to keep his tears at bay. J’onn was the first to find Tony and simply sat with him, not alerting the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It wasn’t important,” Tony spoke first. “Being from another universe, it wasn’t something I thought I had to tell people.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“By the time we met, you had already lived half your life on this Earth. I do not see why it was important either,” J’onn agreed. “But the others are upset.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It never came up. Why would it ever come up? I didn’t think I’d be able to go back, or that someone would come here,” Tony protested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You built the machine,” J’onn started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I built the first one because I thought I could travel back in time to when things were better for me. I was in a real shitty place,” Tony huffed, getting worked up and frustrated all over again. “And I spent decades trying to make the machine on this side viable. The only reason I built it now was because someone else needed it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>J’onn nodded and kept silent. Tony just needed a minute or two to calm down before facing anyone again. When he was ready, J’onn alerted the others to regroup in the conference room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was Tony Stark. I am from another Earth. When I was twenty one my biological parents died in a car accident, but it took the man who raised me to die to send me off the edge. I built a machine to alter the timeline somehow. I’m not really sure what I was thinking anymore. I ended up on this Earth where I was found by the Allens, who helped me find a reason to live again and who tried to get me back home with assistance from John Constantine. Nothing I did worked, and I found that the life I made on this Earth was better than anything I had back home so I just… stayed. There was no reason for me to tell anyone that I was from another Earth when I didn’t know how to get back, and I certainly didn’t think it was possibly for someone there to come here. I’m sorry for whatever harm I’ve caused you by not actively telling anyone I was from another Earth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Founders were stunned, and while some of them were definitely hurt that Tony didn’t believe he could confide in any one of them, they understood. Tony held Rhodey’s hand for the rest of the meeting as the League and the Avengers worked on ways to fix their current situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the meeting, Steve and Bucky talked a little with Barry about the new revelation then went to find Tony. They found him in the garden, talking to Peggy about what was going on back on their Earth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agent Carter,” Steve cleared his throat. “May we have a word with Tony?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman narrowed her eyes at him and Steve was terrified. Picking a fight with Peggy Carter was a bad idea and Steve regrets letting his anger get the best of him. Tony simply placed a hand on Peggy’s arm, giving her a small nod to tell her he was okay with this. The woman left, but not without staring down the two soldiers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t trying to trick you,” Tony said before either of the Brooklyn boys could say anything. “I really don’t think of myself as Tony Stark anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t think you were trying to trick us, Tony,” Steve said. “But there’s something Bucky and I need to talk to you about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking a seat on a nearby bench, Tony patted the spaces on either side of him for both of them to sit down.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>With the air clear of any secrets between them, and forgiveness being granted, the soldiers and the genius decided to spend the rest of the day in Tony’s penthouse to prevent any more earth shattering revelations. Those were tiring and with the Gateways being fixed and augmented so they didn’t blow up by people who were not Tony, the three just wanted to relax.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The club could be run by someone else, so could the rooms,” Tony said as Bucky nipped at his neck. “And I guess I don’t have to devote all my time to fixing whatever nightmare they’ve turned their mechanical devices to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honey,” Steve growled, biting into Tony’s shoulder, earning a gasp from the man, before lavishing it with his tongue to soothe the pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I told you! I don’t put out until the third date!” Tony snapped, though he didn’t do anything to move away from the soldiers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d moved to the mattress to watch the city scape with Tony spread across their laps. The three of them were supposed to be discussing how to make their relationship work when they lived in two different universes. Then Bucky had gotten bored and handsy, trying to distract Tony with soft kisses and lingering touches, with Steve not one to back down from a challenge. Now the both of them were trying to distract Tony, but it wasn’t really working.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But then you wouldn’t be able to see your grandchildren every day,” Bucky pulled away from Tony long enough to point out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then you give me kids,” Tony retorted, making both men freeze, in turn causing Tony to panic. “Are kids not on the table?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No! Of course not! It’s just… three men?” Steve said, pulling back to look at Tony. “You know that no adoption agency would ever give a child to us. It’s hard enough with same sex couples.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know a few people here who would gladly carry a surrogate child for me,” Tony said. “I even have ties to science corps that could splice three DNA strands together… if that’s what you wanted.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuck, Doll,” Bucky groaned, pulling Tony towards him and kissing him hard and rough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the awkward position Bucky had put him in, Tony kissed him back eagerly, running his hands over Bucky’s torso and linking them at the back of Bucky’s head to give him some purchase. Gently moving Tony’s limbs, Steve made it so that Tony was facing Bucky and straddling his lap comfortably while Steve was plastered to Tony’s back, placing kisses along Tony’s spine but never moving past his shoulder blades.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Three dates, Buck. Go,” Steve challenged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Night Constantine broke up with you,” Bucky panted between kisses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? No!” Tony jerked away, frowning. “You had to calm me down from a panic attack.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We got you to bed, talked about how living in cities change, had breakfast in the morning,” Bucky countered, grinning and trying to kiss Tony again but the smaller man just moved further away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Working in the garage with the Avengers. Everyone else was doing weapons and we were fixing up that bike,” Steve added.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The night we told you we wanted to be together, with you,” Bucky smiled charmingly at Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The frown on Tony’s face hadn’t gone away the entire time the two were talking, and when they’d said their piece, Tony untangled himself from both of them and sitting on the couch just out of their reach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So it is just sex,” Tony said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” the soldiers exclaimed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, Baby Doll that’s not—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t mean it like that—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll make it up to you—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything you want—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All I asked for was three dates,” Tony ground out. “At least two proper dates that’s only the three of us that doesn’t end in sex and a third one that might.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We didn’t mean to upset you, Doll. Of course you can get your three dates,” Bucky assured him, reaching out to lay a hand near Tony.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hell, if you don’t want to put out until we’re months in, we’ll wait,” Steve added, doing the same as Bucky when he saw Tony relax.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“JARVIS, order lunch for us. The usual,” Tony said, shifting his hand to touch theirs. “Shit start to your first date with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, Doll,” Bucky grinned, moving out from Steve to pull Tony into a hug. “Date started when we first sat down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Steve just smiled as Tony tried to get out of Bucky’s grip. It was futile, but judging by the grin on Tony’s face, he didn’t seem to mind.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony didn’t like it when his things were taken from him. Everyone knew to stay out of his way when he was angry, but he’d moved past that and went straight to wrathful.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Avengers weren’t taking any chances.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The Hydra base was on fire, agents aiming their guns at Tony but they hadn’t been prepared for a mechanised full body suit of metal to come crash their party. All their bullets bounced harmlessly off Tony as he tore through the base, his repulsors taking out anyone in his way. Kicking down the metal door, Tony punched out the guard on duty before unlocking Bucky from his chains.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Christ, Doll, that was hot,” Bucky grinned as he leered at the suit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s Steve?” Tony growled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Somewhere,” Bucky said after a moment. “He’s coming.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I asked for one thing. One thing!” Tony shouted, raising his faceplate so that Bucky could see just how angry he was. “Do not let the mission go on past the time parameters.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry, Baby Doll. Didn’t mean t’ get us captured,” Bucky gave a lazy shrug as he got to his feet, pulling out his Brooklyn drawl because he knew it make Tony weak-kneed. “Should I kiss it better?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You damn well better!” Tony snarled, yanking Bucky towards him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the armour, Tony was taller than Bucky, so he had to lean down to capture his lips in a rough kiss. Already gasping and panting, Bucky was trying to melt into Tony. Gauntlets landing on Bucky’s thighs, Tony harshly yanked Bucky up and the ex-assassin gladly wrapped his legs around his lover’s waist.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Buck? Tony?” Steve’s questioning voice broke the two of them apart. “Holy shit.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s great, isn’t it?” Bucky grinned at the blonde.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s beautiful,” Steve nodded, in a daze as he stood in the doorway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You owe me an anniversary,” Tony bit out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah we do,” Steve nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Barry already brought back Eleonora,” Tony glared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll give her to one of the others tonight. Just. Fuck, Tony, just let us make it up to you,” Steve begged, approaching Tony carefully.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky grinned as Tony grabbed Steve by his straps and smashed his lips onto Steve’s. Steve pulled away slightly to sweeten the kiss and Bucky just leaned back to watch his two lovers kiss.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have a quinjet ready to take us to Malibu,” Tony said between kisses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are we waiting for?” Bucky grinned, giving Tony a chaste kiss, then turning to Steve for a slightly longer one. “Happy two year anniversary.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Happy two year anniversary, Buck,” Steve rolled his eyes, before giving Tony a while smile. “Happy anniversary, Sweetheart.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’ll be a happy anniversary once we get to the jet,” Tony stated.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve and Bucky looked to each other for one of their silent conversations, then started to untangle themselves to get to the jet. Tony sighed as he watched his husbands try to go out the door together. He loved those idiots. He really did.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first fic and I mostly just wrote this for fun. I hope you like it.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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